BOYS LACROSSE: Messalonskee opens season with a bang

WATERVILLE — It took almost the entire first half of the first game of the season for the Messalonskee High School boys lacrosse team to find its offensive rhythm, but once the Eagles had it, they had it.

The Eagles scored a pair of goals in the final two minutes of the first half, then added two more in the first minute of the third quarter, on the way to a 10-3 win over Edward Little of Auburn in the season opener for both teams at Thomas College on Tuesday.

Additional Photos

Staff photo by David Leaming Messalonskee High school player Jack Bernachez fields ball past Edward Little's Jack Adams in Waterville on Tuesday, April 22, 2014.

Staff photo by David Leaming Messalonskee's Josh Yonnelli falls in front of Edward Little's goalie Chris Poisson after scoring in Waterville on Tuesday, April 22, 2014.

With the score tied 2-2, Jose Languet scored with 1:41 left in the first half to put Messalonskee on top for good. Just 18 seconds later, Languet scored again to give the Eagles a 4-2 halftime lead.

“I was feeling like we needed to get the team going. I had a little energy, coming off the bench, and I came in and put them in. It felt great,” Languet, who added a third goal late in the fourth quarter, said.

The Eagles took a 1-0 lead 49 seconds into the game on a goal from Ryan Erskine. Throughout the rest of the first quarter, Messalonskee had plenty of chances, but shots went wide of the net, or were right at Red Eddies goalie Chris Poisson.

“We kept on working our offense and we kept on taking some point-blank shots. I think we were thinking about it too much, trying to make that perfect pass, that perfect shot,” Messalonskee coach Tom Sheridan said. “Sometimes you’ve just got to let it go and play.”

When the Eagles sped things up, they controlled the game. Erskine scored again 37 seconds into the third quarter. Sixteen seconds later, Ben Weeks whipped a shot past Poisson for a 6-2 lead.

“Someone has to initiate. Someone has to get the pace moving. Once those goals went in, we started firing,” Languet said.

Messalonskee added two goals by Josh Yanelli and a Languet score to push the lead to 9-2 midway through the fourth quarter.

Edward Little tied the game twice in the first half before Messalonskee took control. Aaron Vaillancourt’s goal late in the first quarter tied the game at 1-1, and with 2:07 left in the first half, Matt Verrill’s goal knotted the game at 2-2. Verrill scored again with 3:53 left in the game.

Jake Smith made seven saves for Messalonskee. Poisson had 14 stops for the Red Eddies.

“I’m real happy with how our goalie and our defensemen played,” Sheridan said. “Communication was pretty good in the second half. The first two goals (EL) scored, I wasn’t too happy with how we played, but we improved from there. Offensively, I think we can better, and we will. We missed a lot of chances in close. Normally they get those shots. It’s the first game of the year. The kids are excited. Once we get in a routine, we’ll be much better.”

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